A survey of menus at the 66 largest U.S. restaurant chains found a new items on the menu contain 12 percent fewer calories, says a study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. “This..could mark the beginning of a trend toward reducing calories,” say the authors, who looked at items put on the menu in 2012 and 2013. They say the data are in line with research in Seattle and New York City linked to listing of calorie counts on menus. The government is drafting regulations for menu listing on the federal level.
“These results have implications for obesity,” said the AJPM article. On a typical day, one-third of children, 41 percent of teenagers and 36 percent of adults eat at fast-food outlets. “If the average calories consumed at each visit were reduced by approximately 60 calories (the average decline observed in newly introduced menu items in 2013), the population impact on obesity could be significant. Of note, however, the caloric content of restaurant meals remains quite high.”
The National Restaurant Association said the report “verifies that restaurants and chefs have made significant progress in creating new menu offerings that are both innovative and nutritious.”